Convertible table



(Nov. 25, 1941. A. GlPsON coNvETIBLE TABLE Filed June 14, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet l o0 M v. @ma /LGM v K 9 MM5 7/ Y, ma .T 9 x v INVEN TOR.

NQV. 25, 1941. A, GlpsgN v l2,263,921 CONVERTIBLE TABLE Filed June 14,1940 2 sheets-sheetY 2 lIN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE QONVEET'IBLEy TABLEAllen Gpson, New York, N. Y.

Application June 14, 1940', SerialNo..34li,5ll1

Z Claims.

My invention relates to an article of furniture which by the means andconstructions'hereinafter described can be converted from a IOW benchinto a low table, and which can also be converted into a high narrowtable as well as into a high table of considerable leaf area. Othermodifications and adjustments will be brought out in this specificationand all such conversions and modifications and the means for achievingthem will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The uses to which the convertible article of furniture of my inventioncan be put are suggested in this specification, from which it will alsobe apparent that its initial bulk is inconsiderable and that it can beplaced in any apartment, room or hall without in any degree interferingwith the appointed placement of other furniture and without encroachingon the space required for the unhampered moving about of the occupants.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l isa sectional View of my convertible article of furniture when used as ahigh table with particular reference to the means employed for effectingthe conversion.

Figure 2 is a top view of the table top, cut away on all sides showingcertain detail of mechanism on dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the low table, the position of thetable-top corresponding to that shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the high table, showing the table leavesfolded together, the top- Ieaf being also shown in a raised positionindicated by thedotted lines.

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing how maximum table area is obtainedby transverse sliding and folding out of the table leaves.

Figure 6 shows a simple exempliiication of means for tilting the. tabletop.

Figures '7, 8, 9, 1f), l1, and 12 show the various articles of furniturederived by conversion from the. original shown in Figure 7'.

It is seen that the convertible article of furniture of my inventioncomprises two. main parts, namely, the base l and the table-top 2. Thebase I has the two spaced side-frames 3 and 3a which are rigidlyconnected by such4 conventional means as the cross-members and 5 Thebase in its confining outlines is ofl three-dimensionally rectangularconformation, the. side-frames being of considerably greater length thanwidth, so that when the table-top is placed on the short sides of thebase frames the table will be of ordinary height, whereas when theltable-top rests on the long side the table will be correspondinglylower. In order to insure level support for the table in eithery case,the side-frames are provided with the feet 6a for the high or up-endedpositions, and with the feet 6b for the low or prone position, the feet6a and 6b being to this end adequately levelled and squared withreference to one another as well as to the table-top.

The side frames and table-top may be of Vany suitable material, metallicor non-metallic, and of any ornamental design within their fundamentalrectangular outline.

The table-top 2 is slidably mounted on the topframel which is soconformed as to fit snugly over the. short sides ofthe spaced sideframes 3' and 3a. In the drawings the frame 1" has been shown asconsisting of the angle-members 8 and 9, the depending sides of whichencompass the tops ofthe side frameswhereby the top-frame, whenpositioned, is held against horizontal displacement in any direction. Iwish it to be understood, however, that l do notlimit myself to the useof angle-members and do equally favor any other means. for seating thetop-frame l on the side-frames, 'and for holding it against' horizontaldisplacement.

The top-frame l is movably connected with the base by such means as thelink-members l2 mounted by the hinges I'll on the rod I which is securedin the angle-members 8, the link-members having also hinge-mounting onthe tie-rodl lf3 secured in the side-frames 3 and 3a. The tie-rod I3 mayalso serve as a spacer between the sideframes', thus eliminating thenecessity for employing an additional'cross-member like the onedesignated by the numeral 4.. The link-members t2, of which there arepreferably not more than two, Yare of such length that when thetable-top 2 conjointly with the top-frame T is lifted from the basewhich is thereby simultaneouslyv tilted and quarter-turned withreference to the'fioor, the table-top and top-frame will therebyl bepositioned on the adjacent long side of the basey after having executeda swinging motion with referenceto the base through the arc indicated indotted lines. in Figure 1, so that the converted table thenv stands on'the feet 6b as shown in Figure 2'.

The height of the table has thus been decreased to the extent of thed-iiierencey between the long side and the short side of the base.

In order to convert .the high table into a low one, the operator rstfolds the table-leaves and adjusts the folded table-top in transverselysymmetrical relation to the top-frame. He then grasps the table-top withboth hands at its longitudinal center line and elevates thesubstantially level-held table-top and top-frame. The base is therebypartially lifted and tilted about its corners diagonally opposite thehinge-mountings of the link-members. In order to further tilt the baseand quarter-turn it so that it will rest on its long side, the operatorswings the substantially level-held table-top and top-frame in thetilting direction of the base and then in the opposite direction, andconcurrently lowers them and seats them on the upper side of the nowquarterturned base, which is provided with the seat surfaces I4 and I5.y

If conversion from a low table into a high one is desired, the operationis substantially the same, the base however being then turned in theopposite direction.

The table-top 2 comprises the leaves 2a and 2b joined by the hinges I 6,conformed and placed to permit close abutment of the leaves which whenunfolded present a smooth table-top without any discernable divisionline. It is essential that the hinge mountings for the link members inthe base should be located substantially in the position shown in thedrawings, that is, above and laterally remote from the mass center ofthe base, either in its up-ended or in its prone position so that thebase will be immediately tilted by lifting the top-frame and table-top.It is obvious that no tilting of the base would take place if thelink-members were hinged at its mass center.

For the purpose of adequately supporting the unfolded table-top, theleaf 2a is slidably mounted on the members 9 of the top-frame 1, theslidable mounting being exemplified by the tongueand-groove fittings IIwhich are in any suitable manner secured to the table-leaf so that thefolded table-top can be adjusted transversely to the base, this slidingadjustment being limited by the mounting I 'I contacting the members 8of the top-frame l. The table-top is then unfolded, the table-leaf 2bthus resting on the top-frame while the leaf 2a is partially supportedby the tongue and groove fittings.

The operation of conversion is greatly facilitated by folding thetable-top`l`and by adjusting its position transversely so that it isdisposed in symmetrical relation to the top-frame and the base. Thelower table-leaf will then have the full benefit of the support providedby the tongueand-groove connection, a condition which is important sincein the initial stage of the conversion practically the entire weight ofthe base is taken by the tongue-and-groove connection.V If thetable-top'were to remain unfolded only part of this connection wouldeffectively sustain this weight.

Moreover, when the table-top is folded and symmetrically adjusted to thetop-frame, the operator is thereby enabled to apply his lifting graspaccurately at the longitudinal centerline of the folded table-top, whichinsures a balanced lifting of the table as a whole. Should he howeverallow the table-top to remain unfolded, he then would instinctivelyapply his grasp at the folding line of the table-leaves and would not bein a position to judge whether the unfolded tabletop is symmetricallyadjusted with respect to the base. An unbalanced lift would result,causing the table to cant over toward or away from the operator, thebase being thereby tilted unstably on one cornerinstead of two, withattendant frictional disturbances and side-strains in the linkmechanism. Adequate provision for transverse adjustment of the table topwith respect to the top-frame and base is therefore essential to thesmooth operation of the device.

Provision has been made for raising the upper table leaf and holding itin a substantially vertical position by such means as the preferablyremovable strap or link I8.

For some kind of work, such as drawing or writing, it is desirable toincline the table top at a convenient angle. This is accomplished in themanner illustrated in Figure 6, by the movable support I9 which for thepurpose of exempliiicationlis shown hinged about the link fulcrum rodI3. Normally the support I9 is swung downward so that it does notprotrude beyond the limiting rectangle on the base frames. When it isdesired to tilt the table top, it is raised at one end while the memberI9 is swung upward until it affords support for the inclined table topwhose weight holds the prop I9 in the required position. The member I9may be locked in any position by such conventional means as set-screwsand the like. The number of tilting supports is, of course, not confinedto one and it is understood that their length may be adjustable to suitthe desired degree of inclination.

Figures 7-12 illustrate how the article of furniture of my invention canbe converted from a low bench in its simplest form to a high table ofrelatively large top area. By swinging the top table leaf up to asubstantially vertical position and holding the table leaf in thisposition by means of the straps, the simple bench is converted into alow bench with a back rest as shown in Figure 8. By shifting the foldedtable leaves transversely across the base, as illustrated in Figures 4and 5, and subsequently swinging the top table leaf down until it restson the side frames, the bench is converted into a low table ofconsiderable area, suited to the serving of refreshments at socialgatherings, as shown in Figure 9.

By swinging the folded table top over to the i shorter side of the baseand simultaneously upending the base the high narrow topped table shownin Figure 10 is obtained. A table of this description may serve a numberof purposes. By swinging the top table leaf up as in Figure 11, the highnarrow table can be used as a writing table, the upturned back affordingsupport for open books, pictures and the like. When the table leaves areshifted transversely and opened up to fullest extent the large toppedhigh table shown in Figure 12 is obtained and itis obvious'that such atable can be used for many purposes. For instance, it may be used as acard table, a lunch or dinner table, a reading table and so forth. Whenits use is not required, it can be immediately converted back into a lowbench and put out of the way if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An article of furniture convertible from a relatively high table intoa relatively low table and vice-versa, including a top-frame and atable-top carried thereby, having a movable base in link-connection withthe said top-frame, the said movable base having relatively long sidesand adjacent shorter sides adapted to levelly support the said top-frameand table-top and conformed to provide a relatively high support andseat for the said top-frame when placed up-ended upon its short side anda relatively low support and seat for the top-frame, when quarterturncdand placed lengthwise upon its long side,V

and link-members movably connecting and having hinge-inountings in thebase and the toprarne, the hinge-mountings in the base being locatedabove and laterally remote from the mass center thereof, so that bymanually elevating the substantially level-held top-frame and tabletopthe base is tilted by the link-members about its corner diagonallyopposite the hinge-mounting, further tilting and turning of the base toa quarter-turned position being effected by swinging the substantiallylevelly maintained table-top and top-frame in the turning direction ofthe base and subsequently in the other direction, the conversion beingconcluded by concurrently lowering and seating the table-top andtop-frame upon the upper side of the quarter-turned base.

2. An article of furniture convertible from a relatively high table intoa relatively low table and vice-versa, comprising a top-frame and atable-top having slidable mounting therein and symmetrically adjustablethereto, a movable base in link-connection With the said top-framehaving relatively long sides and adjacent shorter sides adapted tolevelly support the said top-frame and table-top and conformed toprovide a relatively Y high support and seat from the said top-frameeffected by swinging the substantially levellyV maintained table-top andtop-frame in the turning direction of the base and subsequently inopposite direction, the conversion being concluded by concurrentlylowering and seating the tabletop and top-frame upon the upper side ofthe quarter-turned base.

ALLEN GIPSON.

